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EPA Orders Pennsylvania Municipalities to Improve Stormwater Management

Release Date: 06/24/2014
Contact Information: David Sternberg 215-814-5548 [email protected]

(PHILADELPHIA – June 24, 2014) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it has sent orders to 85 municipalities in north central and northeast Pennsylvania requiring improvements to their programs for managing stormwater. EPA issued the orders to augment Pennsylvania’s efforts to ensure effective stormwater management programs are in place to improve water quality in local streams and the Chesapeake Bay, which is downstream of most of the towns cited by EPA.

“In this age of changing climate and more frequent and severe weather events, managing urban stormwater is essential for protecting and restoring the waterways in our communities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “Our objective in issuing these orders is to build on the work being done by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and bridge any gaps in making it clear to the municipalities that they need to do a better job of implementing their programs for controlling stormwater runoff.”

The federal Clean Water Act requires the cited municipalities to develop and implement a program to reduce contamination of stormwater runoff and prevent illegal discharges of stormwater.

EPA’s orders also require the cited municipalities to correct deficiencies with their respective Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) programs and to come into compliance with their Clean Water Act stormwater discharge permits. MS4s are publicly-owned drainage systems, including storm drains, pipes, and ditches, which are designed to collect and convey stormwater runoff in urbanized areas.

Urbanized areas generally contain large portions of impervious surfaces such as roads, rooftops and parking lots that channel stormwater directly into local streams, rivers, and other water bodies. Improperly managed stormwater runoff from urbanized areas can cause flooding and significant erosion, damage streams, and carry excessive nutrients, sediment, metals, volatile organic compounds, and other pollutants downstream.

The orders provide information to the municipalities regarding how to assure compliance with MS4 requirements of the Clean Water Act. For more information about Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) visit: https://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/munic.cfm.

The municipalities receiving the orders are:

Carbon County
Bowmanstown Borough
Lower Towamensing
Weissport Borough

Centre County
College Township
Harris Township
Patton Township
State College Borough

Franklin County
Old Forge Borough

Lackawanna County
Taylor Borough
Clarks Summit Borough
South Abingdon Township
Clarks Green Borough
Dickson City Borough
Dunmore Borough
Blakely Borough,
Throop Borough.
Ransom Township
PSU Scranton
Moosic Borough
Abington Township
Scranton City
Scott Township

Lehigh County
Catasauqua Borough
Slatington Borough
Whitehall Township
Macungie Township
Upper Milford Township
Salisbury Township
South Whitehall Township
Emmaus Borough
Alburtis Borough
Weisenberg Township


Luzerne County
Duryea Borough
Edwardsville Borough
Wilkes-Barre Township
Plymouth Borough
Larksville Borough
Sugar Notch Borough
Ashley Borough
DuPont Borough
Jenkins Township
Avoca Borough
Warrior Run Borough
Laflin Borough
Dallas Borough
Swoyersville Borough
Exeter Borough
Wyoming Borough
Pittston Township
Nanticoke City
Newport Township
West Wyoming Borough
Foster Township
Hazleton City
West Pittston Borough
Kingston Borough
Bear Creek Township
Wilkes-Barre City
Laurel Run Borough
Plymouth Township
Hughestown Borough
Dallas Township
Lehman Township

Luzerne & Northampton County

Jackson Township
Fountain Hill Borough
Lower Saucon Township
Lower Nazareth Township
Hanover Township

Lycoming County

Old Lycoming Township
Montoursville Borough
Loyalsock Township
Williamsport City

Northampton County

Allen Township
Northampton Borough
Walnutport Borough
Bangor Borough
Lower Mt. Bethel Township
Pen Argyl Borough
Freemansburg Borough
Williams Township
East Allen Township
Easton City
Bushkill Township
Plainfield Township
Hellertown Borough
Northampton County
Wind Gap Borough
Forks Township
Hanover Township